The Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), Kandla, has crossed the 70 mn t cargo-handling mark for the financial year 2026-27, reaching 70.03 mn t on 22 August 2026. The authority became the fastest among India’s major ports to attain the milestone, completing the target 32 days ahead of the timeline recorded in the previous financial year. This achievement underlines rising throughput and operational tempo at the port. DPA registered year-on-year growth of 23.02 per cent compared with the same period last year, reflecting expanded capacity utilisation and improved turnaround times. Officials attributed the growth to coordinated efforts by terminal operators, shipping lines and hinterland logistics that have streamlined cargo movements and reduced delays. The milestone was described as significant for the port’s contribution to national trade flows. The port also set new single-day handling records earlier in the season. On 27 July DPA handled 783,816 t of cargo in a single day, surpassing its earlier national record of 778,570 t registered on 17 June. The Offshore Oil Terminal at Vadinar established a new 24-hour benchmark by handling 509,101 t of liquid cargo, exceeding its previous record of 507,397 t. The June record included 255,557 t of crude oil, 40,534 t of petroleum, oil and lubricants and 213,010 t of light petroleum oils, illustrating the diversity of consignments processed during peak operations. Port reports emphasised that modernised berths and enhanced coordination with customs and stevedores supported higher daily throughputs. Operational planning and improved berth productivity were cited as key enablers. Sushil Kumar Singh, chairman of the port, conveyed congratulations to all stakeholders, noting that the result reflected teamwork across exporters, importers, vessel agents, stevedores, customs house agents, terminal operators, truck drivers, port officials and labour. The authority said the milestone demonstrated sustained commitment to efficiency and would inform further investments in infrastructure and service delivery.